In a defiant address on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that Moscow remains committed to achieving all of its objectives in Ukraine, as the conflict enters its third year. Speaking in a video message commemorating the second anniversary of “Reunification Day”—the day Russia officially annexed four Ukrainian regions—Putin stressed that Russia would see its mission through.
“The truth is on our side. Every goal we’ve set will be fulfilled,” Putin declared, addressing the Russian public. The day marked two years since Russia annexed the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson following the military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, Russian forces have yet to fully control all areas of these annexed territories.
Putin reiterated his long-standing justification for launching the invasion, framing it as a defense of Russian-speaking populations who, he claims, were being oppressed by a “neo-Nazi dictatorship” in Ukraine. He accused Kyiv of trying to “sever them permanently from Russia, their historic homeland.”
In his remarks, the Russian president also took aim at Western nations, particularly their leadership, whom he accused of transforming Ukraine into a “colony” and a “military base” aimed at undermining Russia. He described Western elites as fueling “hatred, radical nationalism, and hostility towards anything Russian.”
“Today, we are fighting for the secure and prosperous future of our children and grandchildren,” Putin concluded, emphasizing Russia’s long-term vision in the ongoing conflict.
